New Red Sox Reliever Explains ‘Surreal’ Moment At Yankee Stadium

Joe Jacques on Thursday received the notice all Major League Baseball hopefuls covet.

One day before the Red Sox opened their first series of the season against the Yankees, Worcester Red Sox manager Chad Tracy informed Jacques he was being promoted to the big leagues. Next up was a trip to the Bronx for Jacques, a New Jersey native who grew up rooting for Derek Jeter and played collegiate baseball at Manhattan College.

Reporting to any big league stadium surely would have been special for Jacques, who joined the Red Sox organization through the Rule 5 Draft after the 2022 season. But receiving his first taste of The Show close to home was extra sweet for the 28-year-old.

“It’s a dream come true. It’s a whirlwind,” Jacques told reporters Friday, per MLB.com. “I’m at a loss for words to make my debut here. … It was pretty surreal walking up the steps and seeing the Yankee Stadium sign and all that.

“I had a bunch of people behind the bullpen cheering me on — a lot of people down the left-field line. I had to take pictures with them (after the game). It was amazing.”

Jacques did not appear in Friday’s 3-2 win over the Bronx Bombers nor Saturday’s 3-1 loss. Perhaps he’ll make his MLB debut Sunday night when the longtime rivals wrap up their three-game set in primetime.

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